Electric vehicles, unlike gasoline or diesel powered vehicles are virtually impossible to detect if they are “on” while stationary because they make no discernible sounds. Many times people exit these electric vehicles after using them, leaving the vehicle in gear (i.e. having a direction selected, either forward or reverse), and not turning off the key-switch. When these vehicles are left in gear and the key-switch is on, any unwanted person pushing or any object hitting, falling on, bumping, or moving the accelerator pedal will cause the vehicle to move in the direction selected. In some instances a “falling” or “thrown” object can get lodged between the accelerator and another part of the vehicle thereby depressing the accelerator and causing the vehicle to move in the selected direction in an uncontrolled manner. This poses a very dangerous situation in that the vehicle can run over, injure, mutilate, or kill anyone in its path.
Embodiments of the present invention may safeguard and prevent electric vehicles that are left in gear with the power on from moving in any direction unless the accelerator is intentionally depressed by the operator.
Embodiments of the present invention may also be used with gasoline powered vehicles that start the engine when the accelerator is depressed with the key-switch on. After depression of the accelerator, this type of vehicle will then move in the direction selected. The engine then stops running when the accelerator is released. Similar to the electric vehicles discussed above, this type of vehicle also poses a threat if it remains in gear with the power on when vacated, because if the accelerator is pressed unintentionally (either by an operator or a foreign object), then the vehicle will move in the selected direction. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may be used to help prevent this type of vehicle from moving in any direction unless the accelerator is intentionally depressed by the operator.
Still other embodiments of the present invention may be used with industrial equipment, including but not limited to hand tools and machinery, which utilizes an on/off switch in conjunction with an activation mechanism, such as a trigger or pedal, to activate the machinery or component thereof. By way of example only, some brake presses require the operator to depress a foot pedal to activate the brake motion and some table saws require the operator to depress a foot pedal to activate the saw. Similar to the vehicles described above, this type of equipment can pose a significant hazard if it operates when the equipment is left on and the activation mechanism is unintentionally depressed/activated either by an operator or foreign object. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may be used to help prevent this type of equipment from being activated unless the activation mechanism is intentionally depressed/activated by the operator.
While a variety of safety systems have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors have made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.